There is one particular dish I often find myself craving after a tumultuous week, or when I need a serious mood-booster: birria tacos. I often travel to visit my friends at Penn State, Georgia Tech, and the University of Maryland. Every college has a designated spot where students seek out cheesy birria tacos and consumé, yet I had not found my own local spot until recently. My friend Paolo and I visited Eva’s Kitchen—as it is labeled on Apple Maps—a small eatery established to promote real ingredients and real food for its customers. The establishment, also known as Eva’s X Cinco de Mayo, is one of many locations, though the site I visited was just around the corner from New York University.
The eager staff suggested we try their specialty beverages, made in-house. We practically chugged two large, chilled horchatas. This semi-sweet drink is typically a combination of rice, vanilla, and cinnamon, which makes it a staple for any savory meal. The front display showcased an assortment of desserts to pair with their drinks, such as the protein brownies, protein carrot mini muffins, vegan protein cookies, and regular carrot cake.
Our first platter for the evening was the Mexican Chipotle Plate, composed of grilled steak, chopped onions, Mexican rice, black beans, guacamole, cilantro, pico de gallo with chipotle sauce. This heavy meal was served with tortillas on side, truly making it worth every dollar spent.
”They are very generous with the overall portions, but surprisingly extremely generous with the steak. It was spicy and savory, and the sauce on top had a nice kick. Each bite was loaded and exploding with flavor,” Paolo noted.
My main entree was the chicken enchiladas on green sauce with rice, black beans, sour cream, tomatoes, onions and lettuce. Although a little messy to work with, this dish was exceptional. I enjoyed the mixture of textures, ranging from the soft beans, the fresh and crunchy vegetables, the heaping pile of light sour cream, and the juicy, tender chicken.
The corn-tortilla nacho chips had a conglomerate of ingredients, like melted muenster cheese, a large dollop of soviet cream, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, black beans, and powder cheese. These were incredibly filling and delicious throughout. Sometimes nachos from other eateries get soggy, but we ate these quickly and the chips retained their crunchy texture.
“The chips were nicely seasoned like chipotle chips! There were lots of delicious toppings and overall very filling. I would say this is a safe option for everyone to try, even for picky eaters,” Paolo reviewed, as he finished the layers of nachos.
But the star of the evening was the birria tacos, which were incredibly rewarding after my long day at the United Nations. My fellowship with my school’s disarmament institute was mentally difficult. Indulging in hot, toasted, cheesy tacos, oozing with juice and seasoning, was exactly how I needed to end the long day.
“The tacos were crispy on the outside and the meat was soft and tender. The consumé was delicious and paired perfectly,” Paolo commented. “I don’t think I left an ounce of it left. I drank it almost like soup.”
Although Cinco de Mayo has passed, Eva’s Kitchen serves food year-round, best recognized for their horchata and birria. Paolo and I highly recommend visiting for affordable, spiced entrees and loaded nachos. For students hoping to try their wide selection of food, the restaurant has agreed to partner with the Campus Clipper to offer students a discount when they present the coupon below and a valid student ID.
